Ralph Lauren Home Celebrates 40 Years with a Comprehensive New Tome

This irresistible volume will leave readers nostalgic for decades past and spark future decorating plans. A definitive style statement on any coffee table, A Way of Living will be read and revisited, undoubtedly developing the same burnished glow as the brand’s classic leather Writer’s chair. Divided into three sections, the book opens by exploring the designer’s own residence on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue as well as his houses in Jamaica, Montauk, Colorado, and Bedford, New York.

“Each of my homes has its own personality reflective of the environment, the land, the history of the property, and the way in which we live in these spaces,” he explains. “Whether it’s being on the ocean in Montauk or the free spirit of the mountains in Colorado, each has its own distinct character built on a respect for tradition.”

In every location, the level of style is unquestionable and showcases Lauren’s mastery of adapting both fashion and furnishings from place to place. Each comes alive not just through stunning photography but also first-person essays, heartfelt anecdotes, and family memories. “It was my personal homes and the lifestyles they evoke that inspired my collections—and still do today,” says Lauren, whose properties on first glance enthrall with their majestic beauty but reveal depths of character and warmth on more careful inspection.

The book’s second section catalogues the past four decades of Ralph Lauren Home. Here, various examples of layering—including rooms enveloped in patterns and prints, a dining table precisely set for lavish entertaining, and beds outfitted in sumptuous combinations of pillows and blankets—bring the Ralph Lauren aesthetic to life. “For me, it is always about personal style,” he says. “Whether I am focused on what you are wearing or how you live, it is the eclectic mix that makes it interesting and personal.” 

An in-depth visual timeline of the Ralph Lauren Home brand inspires awe with its magnitude of milestones. Each moment represents yet another benchmark for Lauren in the world of design, consistently tearing down barriers between fashion and home. These pages commemorate the pioneering use of fabrics and patterns from clothing in interiors or creating runway settings utilizing furnishings. Later years highlight the clubby Ralph Lauren restaurants and bars in New York, Chicago, Paris, Milan, and even Chengdu, China—the popularity of which is apparent to anyone who has ever tried to procure a reservation.

Appropriately, the book concludes with the events marking Ralph Lauren Home’s four decades of style setting, including a special version of the iconic Hudson Street lounge chair with leather-wrapped arms, which will be limited to an edition of ten—undoubtedly another icon in the making.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Collectors Issue under the headline “Living Genius.” Subscribe to the magazine.